English Language Learners Definition of crenellated : having open spaces at the top of a wall so that people can shoot guns and cannons outward.

What is a crenellated wall?

adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun] In a castle, a crenellated wall has gaps in the top or openings through which to fire at attackers.

What does crenellated mean in science?

(of a moulding, etc) having square indentations.

What is a Crenellation used for?

Crenellations are one of the most recognizable elements of a medieval castle. These upright projections resemble teeth, bared at invaders to prevent their attempted entries and at allies to show the owner’s strength. Each upright section is called a merlon or crenel, and they protected defenders from attacks.

What is a crenelated roof?

Crenellation is a feature of defensive architecture, most typically found on the battlements of medieval castles. A battlement is a low, defensive parapet. … In medieval England, a licence to crenellate had to be granted by the King or other regional authority before a property could be fortified.

What are crenellated ramparts?

crenellation – a rampart built around the top of a castle with regular gaps for firing arrows or guns. battlement, crenelation. crenel, crenelle – a notch or open space between two merlons in a crenelated battlement. fortress, fort – a fortified defensive structure.

Why do churches have battlements?

A fortified church is a church that is built to serve a defensive role in times of war. Such churches were specially designed to incorporate military features, such as thick walls, battlements, and embrasures.

What are battlements used for?

The function of battlements in war is to protect the defenders by giving them something to hide behind, from which they can pop out to launch their own missiles.

What is the difference between a parapet and battlement?

is that parapet is a low retaining wall while battlement is in fortification: an indented parapet, formed by a series of rising members called cops or merlons, separated by openings called crenelles or embrasures, the soldier sheltering himself behind the merlon while he fires through the embrasure or through a …

What is the meaning of piecemealing?

1 : one piece at a time : gradually. 2 : in pieces or fragments : apart. piecemeal.

What is the definition of a battlement?

: a parapet with open spaces that surmounts a wall and is used for defense or decoration.

What is the root word of eccentric?

Eccentric comes to us through Middle English from the Medieval Latin word eccentricus, but it is ultimately derived from a combination of the Greek words ex, meaning out of, and kentron, meaning center. The original meaning of eccentric in English was not having the same center (as in eccentric spheres).

What is the difference between Crenellation and Castellation?

As adjectives the difference between castellated and crenellated. is that castellated is having turrets or battlements, like a castle while crenellated is having crenellations or battlements.

What are the spikes on a castle called?

A spiked wooden or metal barrier, called portcullis, helped protect the doors from fire and battering. It was lowered by chains from a chamber above the gateway. The word portcullis comes from the Old French porte-coleice, meaning sliding door.

What are the tops of castles called?

In architecture, a battlement is a structure on top of castle or fortress walls that protects from attack. Historically, battlements were usually narrow walls at the top of the outermost walls of a castle. Battlements have several important parts. The short, topmost part of the wall was called the parapet.

What are castle parapets?

A parapet originally meant a defensive mini-wall made of earth or stone that was built to protect soldiers on the roof of a fort or a castle. Now it indicates any low wall along the roof of a building, the edge of a balcony, the side of a bridge, or similar structure.

What is the outer wall of a castle called?

Curtain wall castles In medieval castles, the area surrounded by a curtain wall, with or without towers, is known as the bailey. The outermost walls with their integrated bastions and wall towers together make up the enceinte or main defensive line enclosing the site.

What is the meaning of Merlon?

battlement A merlon is a solid, vertical part of the wall of a fort or a battlement. … The Italian root is merlone, from merlo, battlement, possibly from the Latin mergae, two-pronged pitchfork.

What is Siege Rampart?

1A defensive wall of a castle or walled city, having a broad top with a walkway and typically a stone parapet. … ‘In a siege, the ramparts of the castle were often bombarded by large projectiles from catapults.

What is a Bailey in a castle?

A bailey or ward in a fortification is a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a motte-and-bailey.

What is a castle turret?

In architecture, a turret (from Italian: torretta, little tower; Latin: turris, tower) is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. … As their military use faded, turrets were used for decorative purposes, as in the Scottish baronial style.

How do siege towers work?

Siege towers were used to get troops over an enemy curtain wall. When a siege tower was near a wall, it would drop a gangplank between it and the wall. Troops could then rush onto the walls and into the castle or city.

How do you make a battlement?

What is a battlement for your roof?

Definition of Battlement or Embattlement 1. A fortified parapet with alternate solid parts and openings, termed respectively merlons and embrasures or crenels (hence crenelation). Generally for defense, but employed also as a decorative motif. 2. A roof or platform serving as battle post.

Why was Andromache on the battlement?

Andromache is near the battlement, or city wall, because Troy’s fundamental civil engineering feat is the development of these high walls. She stands at these walls at a couple of moments. … Her running towards the battlement, the city wall, is done so to find that her husband has been killed, to which she faints.

What is a notched battlement?

noun. A notched parapet built on top of a wall, with alternating merlons and crenels for decoration or defense.